The Lord is the one who searches and tries our hearts. He will either speak to our hearts during intimate moments with Him, or He will test us by allowing circumstances that expose what lies within. read more

Though simple, the Golden Rule isn't always easy. Stubborn to the core, our old nature often gets in the way. We may treat our current offenders as they are treating—or mistreating—us, or perhaps we treat people as we have heard they have treated others. read more

This week in your life’s journey, you may still feel like yard sale junk.Life may have covered you with dirt, rust and mold. Remember, to Him you are a pearl, a hidden treasure worth the purchase price—His life. read more

Where is your heart today? Where is your mindset? There is so much going on in the world today, it is easy to lose your focus and determination for the things of God. Have you lost your place in the rat race of life? read more

Faith can sometimes be that indescribable understanding that whatever happens, whatever takes place, God is in control and we just have to get out of the way and let Him do what only He can do. read more

Have you ever been treated unethically in a business
transaction? Have you ever been grieved by the lack of integrity in a pastor,
evangelist or other minister? Sadly, we live in an age in which leaders in both
the secular and the spiritual arenas seem to be making up their own sets of
rules about how to conduct their businesses, their ministries and their lives.

We may not be able to do much about the current leadership
in these arenas other than pray. But if you’re a parent, you can have a
positive impact on the next generation. How? By instituting ethics training in
your home. This is where it begins. Parents have the God-given responsibility
to guide and instruct their children – the future business and spiritual
leaders of our nation.

Where do we go to find appropriate foundational truths that
lay the groundwork for ethics and morals? How can we purposefully and
systematically train our children and ourselves to do the right thing, even
when it hurts? Joyce Meyer, Christian speaker and author, states in one of her
teachings on integrity, “True integrity is doing the right thing even when no
one else is looking.” Isn’t that what we want in our children and ourselves? read more

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due
season we will reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).

This is not about tired; it is about weary. Weary is spiritual.
Although tired and weary may at times feel
closely related, they are worlds apart. Tired is physical; weary is spiritual.

When you are tired you are dealing with the physical realm. Being tired means you need physical rest or a
break, some sleep and quite possibly a vacation. Weary does not respond to the
same treatment as tired. You can go away for a month to rest and relax but you
may still be weary.

If you are tired you may need to change some life habits.
You may need to begin to exercise or exercise differently. Perhaps you have a
physical problem that needs medical attention. The point is, tired is physical.
You cannot pray tired away. You do not rebuke tired. You cannot lay hands on
someone and cast out tired. read more

One of the greatest sins in the church is not necessarily
gossip, strife, addictions, adultery or fornication—even though all these
things are sin. What I believe is the greatest sin today, especially in
America, is the sin of prayerlessness or leaving God alone.

We can easily become caught in the trap where our only
consistent time of prayer is offered before each meal and that’s about it. You
know what I mean by the meal prayers,
don’t you? “God is good; God is great. I’m so hungry I could eat this plate.”
I’ve been so hungry before that sometimes I have felt like eating the plate.

One time when I prayed a quick prayer over my meal, I felt
the Lord say, “Now, Hank, did you mean that from your heart?” Like most of us,
I didn’t mean or even hear what I had prayed. Since then, I always feel
convicted when I pray insincere prayers, even if the food is making my mouth
water. read more